


You Came Back

by HomeForImaginaryFriends



Series: From the Depths of the Sea [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mermaids, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Past Abuse, Pirates, Sirens, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 01:19:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15570603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/pseuds/HomeForImaginaryFriends
Summary: Kuroo and his crew have been taken captive and he has no choose but to give into the demands of the other pirates, who want Sawamura.





	You Came Back

A strategic kick is placed to the back of Kuroo’s knee, forcing him into a submissive pose with his hands tied behind his back and he forces himself not to laugh, he knows it would not be a good sound right now.  Kuroo can’t help but think that these bastards better kill him quickly because if they give him a chance to take the upper hand none of them will survive to see another day. It had been several years since anyone had boarded his ship without his express permission, he had gained an even harsher reputation after he made an example out of those who dared cross him but perhaps that had faded over the years as most fisherman's tales do.

 

Kuroo’s ship had been caught up in a storm that had left them dead in the water as they tried to make repairs.  Another ship had snuck up on them during it and put holes in his ship. The waters were calm once again, the storm passing as if it had never been there to begin with.  It left his ship taking on water and his crew captured by a man that had always had it out for Kuroo, ever since he slid a blade across the other captains face.

 

“I’ve waited years for this.”  Miura Sota said with a wide grin, stretching his arms wide as if performing for an audience.  Kuroo gave Miura a dead eyed stare, he hadn’t been amused by the overdramatics when they had been sleeping together and he wasn’t any more amused by it now that he had weapons pointed at Kuroo’s crew.

 

It was unlikely that Miura would kill Kuroo’s crew.  Miura would want Kuroo to stew in his defeat for years to come because that’s the kind of dumb bastard he was.  Kuroo had slept with him because he was admittedly very pretty, but after finishing the act one night Miura had thought Kuroo was asleep and had tried to steal from him.  Kuroo had taken a dagger to the other mans face, which he thought so highly of. Kuroo had told him it made him look dangerous but Miura was always looking for a way to payback Kuroo for the deed.

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”  Kuroo answered back and received a punch in the jaw for it.  He did let out a laugh at that. Miura should have let one of his crew hit Kuroo because the other captain had always had soft hands.  “Can we hurry this up before my ship sinks with all of us still on it?” Kuroo asked. He was known for his own theatrics but not even Daishou dragged things out this long.

 

“I don’t want the rubbish you have on board, we all know you keep your finer things hidden.”  At least Miura was smart enough to know that, though Kuroo was confident no one but him and his crew knew where his finery was kept.  “I’ve come for your pet.” Kuroo blinked in confusion before looking over at where his crew was tied together, another idiotic mistake Miura had made.  He should have separated his crew.

 

“You can take Lev if you want I guess?”  Kuroo asked, making his crew snicker before he was punched once more.  He tasted blood and pressed his tongue against the cut in his lip. “I don’t know what the bloody hell you’re going on about.”

 

“Your pet mermaid!”  Miura shouted, angry now that he had lost control.  Even if Miura hadn’t attempted to steal Kuroo’s purse he was sure their relations would have ended soon after.

 

Kuroo’s crew was suddenly quiet as they put all their focus on Miura, who was either too stupid or too self absorbed to realize he was being watched like a cat watches a mouse hole.  Patient and controlled, knowing the time was coming and they would be fed soon.

 

Kuroo wasn’t sure how Miura knew about Sawamura being a merman.  His crew was made up of mostly big mouthed idiots, himself included in that.  They all loved drinking at port and sharing sailor tales but none of them ever gave away important information.  Especially not something as vitale as Sawamura’s secret, they kept that closely guarded.

 

Years ago two younger members of Sawamura’s family had gotten themselves caught up in a net.  They were sold on the black market and Sawamura, who could magic his fin into legs, had come to land to find them.  It had been a long adventure that ended up with the crew of the Bakeneko befriending the merpeople. Sawamura visited them often but none of them would have betrayed his trust.

 

But somehow Miura knew about him, though Kuroo still considered him an idiot.  Sawamura a pet? Hadn’t they heard enough myths about the fierceness of creatures from the sea?  The ocean was no place for things that could be so easily made into pets.

 

“Perhaps he needs some incentive?”  Kimura Takeshi was Miura’s right hand man and far smarter than his captain.  Kuroo didn’t know what kept Kimura around but he had a feeling most of this had been Kimura’s planning.  Kimura turned and pointed at Yamamoto, who was dragged forward and thrown down onto the deck, though he hadn’t put up a fight to begin with.

 

It proved Kimura’s cunning.  Hurt one of the older crew members such as Kai or Yaku and nothing much would have happened, Kuroo could take a beating and so could those two.  Kimura was smart enough not to take one of the youngest members either, hurting Inuoka or Shibayama would have led to the Bakeneko crew uprising and many people injured and dead.

 

So Kimura had chosen Yamamoto, who was stiff lipped and straight faced as if preparing himself for a whipping.  Yamamoto had been in several fights, they all had, but he had never been subjected to any form of lashing or torture.  Kuroo knew the younger man could take it but there was no point in even letting it begin. Sooner or later they would hit a point where Kuroo could take watching his crew get beaten no longer and give them what they wanted.

 

If they wanted a pet merperson than who was he to get in the way of it?

 

“In my pocket there’s a sand dollar.”  Kuroo said as one of Miura’s men pulled out a whip.  Kuroo could feel the attention from his crew, steady but questioning as he easily gave it away.  Miura motioned to one of his men to step forward and search Kuroo. “Having a good feel there boy?”  Kuroo asked with a smile that was more a baring of teeth than anything even slightly friendly, he didn’t enjoy being touched without his permission and he’d remember this ones face.

 

“You said it was in your pocket.”  The man said, giving Kuroo’s ass a squeeze.  Kuroo refrained from headbutting the pig slime and gave Miura his most unimpressed look.

 

“My coat pocket, where did you find these idiots?”  Kuroo asked, watching as the men shifted and growled at him.  All posturing of course. Miura was a moron but he ran a tight crew.

 

“What do we do with this?”  Miura asked as the sand dollar was placed into his hand.

 

“Toss it overboard.”  Kuroo instructed. Miura looked suspicious but he did as he was told.  They all waited, staring at the side of the ship until Kuroo couldn’t help but laugh.  He was punched again for it but he thought it was worth it. “It doesn’t happen automatically, it could take half a day for him to find his way here.”  Depending on where Sawamura was, where his family lived in the ocean. Kuroo never pried, he could tell Sawamura wanted to keep his people safe but over the years Kuroo had gained enough information to make a good guess of where his family nested.  If he was right it would take about two hours for Sawamura to get to them.

 

Sawamura could walk on two feet, could breath air, and came upon land when he wished to but he was still born and raised a merperson.  A lot of the customs of humans were strange to him, foreign concepts of social etiquette and things that were generally accepted went over Sawamura’s head.  Kuroo had no idea if Sawamura would understand that Kuroo was protecting his crew from harm, if Sawamura would stick around long enough for Kuroo to explain.

 

Kuroo didn’t know why but he was confident that Sawamura would understand.  Miura and others like him wanted Sawamura for the treasures he could show them to, there were a great many ships that lived on the bottom of the ocean and Sawamura had led the Bakeneko to several.  Neither the crew of Bakeneko nor Kuroo cared much about the treasure, they had done well for themselves before Sawamura came along and would continue to thrive because they were strong and more importantly, intelligent.  But Sawamura was family to the crew, to Kuroo who had grown up without anything resembling a family he was so much more than that.

 

Kuroo watched as Miura and Kimura talked some distance away, glancing around at both crews and to Kuroo often.  He knew they were discussing what to do if Sawamura didn’t show up. The sand dollar was Kuroo’s only way to get into contact with Sawamura.  Usually the merman decided when he wanted to pop in for a visit but several months ago he had given Kuroo an old, dried up sand dollar and told Kuroo that if he ever needed Sawamura to toss it into the water and he’d come.  Kuroo had used it a few times, it had never been an emergency but Sawamura didn’t seem to ever mind.

 

A little over two hours later a hand slapped against the railing of the ship, making several people jump as a head and torso appeared soon after.  The merfolk had no use of clothing and it had taken Kuroo several times to get Sawamura to understand he couldn’t come aboard naked. Not that Kuroo minded much per say but it was a distracting sight.  So Sawamura wore trousers that were torn off right above the ankle and nothing else beside the bag strapped to his back.

 

Sawamuras brow was already furrowed, there was no way he hadn’t noticed an extra ship floating close to the Bakeneko.  Kuroo felt his anger spike as Sawamura was roughly grabbed, rope tied around him before he had even put a foot on deck.  His bag was ripped from him and emptied out quickly.

 

“It’s all junk.”  One of Miura’s men snarled, grabbing a stone and throwing it at the bound Sawamura, who flinched back automatically.

 

Sawamura often times brought little gifts from his family for the crew of Bakeneko.  When they had helped rescue Tobio and Shouyou they had befriended many of the pirates.  Or Shouyou had and Tobio did by extension. Yet what was considered important to humans was not the same for merpeople.  So most of the time Sawamura came back with little trinkets like perfectly smooth and round rocks or shiny abandoned shells.  The crew treated each gift like they were made of gold and engraved with diamonds because they knew the meaning behind such things.  Knew that Shouyou had probably spent a good week searching for that perfect rock that the man had called junk and thrown away.

 

“He’s an idiot, which will make this easier.”  Kimura stated as if Sawamura couldn’t understand them.

 

Kimura walked over to Kuroo and grabbed a fistful of hair, yanking his head back and exposing his neck before placing a blade against it.

 

Kuroo could feel the attention of his crew, felt the sudden tension in the air.  Kimura had the fatal flaw that most developed in his situation. He was used to being the smartest one in the room and granted, surrounded by his current crew, he most likely was.  But the problem with people like him was he underestimated others, it would be his downfall.

 

“Take us to the sunken ship with an octopus for a masshead or I cut his throat.”  Kimura ordered.

 

Kuroo knew the ship Kimura was referring to.  Another pirate ship that had robbed a royal, its belly full of Spanish gold.  An armada had been sent after them and had gotten too carried away, sinking the ship and the gold to the bottom of the sea.  Many had tried to find it and Kuroo knew the rumors that it was supposed to be buried somewhere around these parts. Kuroo’s crew never went after something that was based on just a rumor, they did their research until all possible outcomes were predicted and figured out if it was cost efficient to go after it.  They researched this rumor too but they could never find any good coordinates to go off of and the ocean was a wide deathbed if taken too lightly.

 

“Does he even understand?”  Miura asked doubtfully. Kimura pressed the blade into Kuroo’s throat, it stung as it drew blood, just enough for a trickle to run down his throat.  Kuroo watched as Sawamura’s dark eyes followed the trail.

 

“I think he gets it.”  Kimura said, fingers pulling Kuroo’s hair harder.  Kuroo didn’t allow himself to even flinch at anything, knowing the more impulsive crew members of his were bound to react negatively to it.  Kuroo had been put through far worse and he knew Miura didn’t want him dead, he wanted him humilated.

 

They put part of Kuroo’s crew onto Miura’s ship, leaving just two of Miura’s men to guard the others.  It was a stupid move, they clearly took the ones they thought would be the most trouble but they left Kenma behind.  Kuroo exchanged a quick look with his oldest friend, who gave him a bland look in return. Kenma would regain control of the Bakeneko, it was up to Kuroo to free the rest of the crew.

 

As they were forcing Kuroo to the other ship, he watched as Miura bent down to grab the things that Sawamura had brought before tossing them over the side of the ship.  Sawamura watched them go with a carefully blank look.

 

They tied up Yaku, Kai, Bokuto, Yamamoto, and Inuoka together while keeping Kuroo separated near the helm of the ship.  They kept Sawamura on the quarter deck, near the wheel where he could point this way or that for directions. Kuroo couldn’t help but watch him.  Sawamura was good at concealing his emotions but Kuroo could see his anger in the tightness of his shoulders and the way he kept flexing his hands.

 

“Don’t worry, the captain will take real good care of your pet.”  The pig who had copped a feel before said with a sneer, his eyes trailing down the length of Sawamura’s form.  “He’ll let us have a go after he’s done with him.” Kuroo considered knocking the man overboard at that moment.  He knew that was common talk amongst most ships but Kuroo didn’t allow it aboard his own. He wasn’t sure about the rest of the crew as of that moment, but this one he was going to kill and feed to the sharks.

 

Kai caught Kuroo’s attention and raised an eyebrow, wondering when they would spring into action.  Kuroo had been thinking about it but he thought the crew was too much on edge right at that moment, too aware and trigger happy for them to escape unscathed.  He thought the best time would be after they got their treasure, on the way back to the Bakeneko they would most likely lower their guards. Excited and happy their plan had worked and their pockets would be that much fuller, lulled into a false sense of security.

 

They came across a natural outcropping of rocks, jagged things that stuck up from the water and threatened busted hulls to anyone who wandered close.  It made sense for the armada to have chased the pirates here, allowing them to surround them. A dense fog had rolled in and the men were all put on edge by how close they were coming to the rocks.

 

Kuroo turned his head, sure he had heard something in the water.  The pig next to him jerked the same way, eyes wide and hand tightening on the pistol he held.   Stupid, to be so jumpy and to have a finger on the trigger. Kuroo once again thought about pushing him overboard, it would be easy.  His hands were tied behind his back but they left his feet loose, he could stand and use his considerable weight to shoulder the idiot into the sea.

 

Another noise had Kuroo turning towards it.  He couldn’t quite place what it was but he felt a deep pull towards it, as if he could get closer he could make out the sound.  Which was ridiculous because it was coming from the cliffs.

 

The anchor was tossed in and they began to tie off a rope, clearly going to send Sawamura into the water to retrieve the treasure and to put the rope around it when he found it.  They hadn’t tied up Sawamura, who stood off to the side with his hands held loose at his sides. Kuroo found that behavior odd, he had seen Sawamura tackle someone he didn’t like off the side of a ship.  He had seen Sawamura feed a bleeding man to a hoard of half-starved sharks. Kuroo didn’t sit idly back but he had even lost the anger that had pressed his mouth into a thin line.

 

Another sound came from beyond the ship and everyone paused to turn towards it.  Some even going so far as to take a step in the direction, eyes unfocused and mouths hanging open.  Kuroo tried to concentrate on his crew, on Sawamura or something else but he found himself rising as the sound grew closer.  The two men set to guard him didn’t stop him.

 

The sound steadily grew louder, the gentlest of songs that made Kuroo feel as if he was home, as if he was welcomed and accepted.  He felt warm from the inside out, a certain contentness he thought he’d never be able to feel settled deep into his bones as he stepped with the others towards the sound.

 

Kuroo didn’t know his mother but he thought this might be how the love of one felt like.  His only home had been his ship that he had bled and killed for, his reputation was as blackened as his soul and he could never let anyone forget that least something like this happen where his home was threatened.  But suddenly that was alright, it was fine because he was _loved_ , unconditionally and accepted for all his flaws.

 

Warm hands cupped Kuroo’s face, brought it down so he was looking into dark brown eyes.  He could still hear the singing but he was momentarily distracted by the creature in front of him who was placing his hands over Kuroo’s ears, pressing hard.  Kuroo wanted to fight back but his knees buckled as the sound was cut off, he felt like crying and he couldn’t remember the last time he had done that. He wanted the feelings back, he felt scraped raw and empty.

 

Beyond Sawamura’s face Kuroo saw beautiful creatures pull themselves onto the railing, reaching out with long and pale arms, fingers with claws on the ends and bottomless eyes staring out at the pirates as they stumbled towards the beauties.  Kuroo fell against Sawamura, his breathing labored and he felt feverish as he watched the pirates be pulled over the side of the ship, watched them willingly leap off.

 

The deck cleared quickly, giving Kuroo a clear sight at his struggling crew who were tied to the main mast.  Close to them was one of the ethereal looking creatures, reaching out towards Bokuto who looked like he was ready to break every bone in his body if it meant getting clear of his restraints.  Tears were running down his face, which was twisted in anguish and not pure pleasure like the others had been. The creature reached out, seemed to try and wipe away some of Bokuto’s tears.

 

Kuroo moreso felt than heard Sawamura say something, catching the attention of the beautiful creature who turned towards the merman with black eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth.  Kuroo felt a sharp exhale leave him because the creature looked so familiar to him but they fled soon after and Kuroo felt as if his strings had been cut and he collapsed against Sawamura.

  


\----------------

  


“What happened?”  Kenma asked as Kuroo carried an unconscious Bokuto over his shoulder and onto the Bakeneko.  As Kuroo had guessed, there was no sign of Miura’s two men he had left behind. Lev was scrubbing at a blood stain but everything else remained the same.

 

“Take what you can from the other ship, patch the Bakeneko up well enough to get into port.”  Kuroo ordered before striding towards his cabin, Kenma following close behind. “Sawamura led Miura to a nest of sirens, they took everyone.”  Kuroo recounted to Kenma as he dropped Bokuto onto his own bed. It all felt hazy to Kuroo, like retelling a dream someone else had told him years ago.

 

“Sirens?”  Kenma asked, critical eyes overlooking Bokuto.

 

“I had to knock him out, one of the sirens bore a striking resemblance to Akaashi.”  Kuroo informed Kenma as he rubbed at his face, cringing slightly when he reopened the thin cut on his neck.  He walked over to his desk where there was a small bowl of water he had used to clean himself that morning. He dipped in a cloth and wiped at his neck, cleaning off the blood there.

 

“I have heard myths that sirens can take on the faces of a person's beloved.”  Kenma sounded intrigued. Every sailor had a firm believe in things that existed outside the realm of normalcy but most had no real tangible proof.  Neither had Kuroo until he met a merman who could summon krakens and was apparently friendly with sirens. “What did Sawamura say?” Kenma asked purposefully because it was quite clear Sawamura wasn’t on the other ship with them though he had left with them all.

 

Kuroo had passed out for a while, long enough for Sawamura to direct the ship away from the fog and cliffs, and the sirens.  Once Kuroo was on his feet and the Bakeneko had come into view, Sawamura had dove over the side of the ship without glancing twice at Kuroo.

 

“I need you to stay here with him to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid when he wakes up.”  Kuroo said gruffly, tossing the rag down and going back to the deck.

 

Bokuto had been a captain himself, he had been one longer than Kuroo and considered himself a mercenary, not a pirate.  Kuroo always snorted when Bokuto claimed that but he allowed him his small comforts. Bokuto’s ship had been sunk, half his crew had been trapped onboard while the other had hung for their crimes the next day.  Bokuto had been the only survivor and Kuroo had allowed him to become apart of his crew because Bokuto had once saved Kuroo from slavers and Kuroo couldn’t stand Bokuto’s big sad eyes.

 

The other ship is plundered and repairs are made before they head off to the nearest port.  Well, the nearest port that is safe for them. Some of them have prices on their heads but they need supplies and the ability to fix up the Bakeneko properly.

 

It isn’t long before Kai and Yaku come up to the quarter deck, finished with their own tasks and having a moment where no one needs any further supervision.  They talk about the encounter and Kuroo can’t help but be curious about how the others perceived the sirens. From myths they were supposed to be beautiful woman who sat atop rocks and caused sailors to crash into them.  Now that Kuroo had his head on straight he did remember thinking they were otherworldly beautiful but they were also terrifying with sharp claws, black eyes, and rows of sharp teeth.

 

“Sounds like they have the ability to tap into a person's deepest desire.”  Kai stated after Kuroo had recounted his version of the story, though slightly abridged.  He had been travelling with Kai and Yaku for many years but they didn’t need to know that he craved someone's unconditional love.

 

“Do you think Bo will be okay?”  Yaku asked, once again proving that his hardass outer appearance was just a show he put on, he had a big heart and he worried about everyone.

 

“He’s survived worse.”  Kuroo stated honestly.

 

“Sawamura!”  Inuoka shouted happily and Kuroo turned around quickly, looking to the side of the ship where Sawamura was pulling himself over.  Sawamura gave a warm smile to Inuoka, patting him on the head as the younger man helped him onto the deck. Kuroo allowed his crew to swarm Sawamura, speaking all at once before Fukunaga noticed the satchel Sawamura had, the one the pirate had thrown overboard.

 

“I couldn’t find everything but I think I got most of it.”  Sawamura admitted as he patted the bag. Kuroo’s heart felt too full all the sudden and his throat threatened to close on him so he cleared it loudly.

 

“Back to work.”  Kuroo ordered and he watched them go back to their posts.  He stopped within arms reach of Sawamura and just looked at him.  “You came back.”

 

“Was there any doubt?”  Sawamura asked, taking the step forward to close the distance between them.  Kuroo didn’t like being touched without his express permission, his crew being the only exception to that rule until Sawamura came along.

 

“I led you into a trap.”  Kuroo stated because it was the truth, though he wouldn’t apologize for it.  Sawmaura must have read that on his face because he grinned as he reached up to touch the forming bruises on Kuroo’s face where he had been punched a couple times.

 

“I prefer to think of it as you called me for help.”  Sawamura’s thumb gently touched the corner of Kuroo’s mouth and he turned his head to lay a kiss on his palm.  “I’m not going anywhere.” Kuroo thought maybe he should. Rumors were apparently spreading of merpeople making good pets, though Sawamura had quickly proven why that was a poor idea but Kuroo was positive Sawamura didn’t run into such problems before they had met.

 

“Because I am so very handsome?”  Kuroo teased instead of saying the right thing.  He was a pirate after all, he didn’t fight fair and if Sawamura wasn’t willing to walk away from him then Kuroo wouldn’t try and convince him otherwise.

 

“You’re decent enough I suppose.”  Sawamura teased right back, hand trailing down Kuroo’s face and jaw to his neck, his eyes becoming darker as he saw the wound there.  “Did you even clean this? You could get scurvy.”

 

“You don’t even know what scurvy is.”  Kuroo shot back, to which Sawamura frowned but couldn’t refute.  “So, sirens?”

 

“Sirens? You must be mistaken, it must be the scurvy.”  Sawamura said flippantly as he walked towards the quarterdeck, skin nicely bronzed and Kuroo’s favorite thing to look at at any given time.

 

“Still not what scurvy is, love.”  Kuroo followed after him because what else was there to do after a merman rescued him from revenge seeking pirates by feeding his enemies to sirens?

**Author's Note:**

> Kuroo will never get scurvy because Daichi is his doctors recommendation of vitamin C. *finger guns*
> 
> I wrote two other stories set in this sort of universe! The first is the first time Kuroo and Daichi met.  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/13761291
> 
> and the second is a UshiMon story that is pretty separate from the KuroDai one, though there's mention of KuroDai.  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/13832553
> 
> You (hopefully) don't have to read either of them to understand this story though! Thank you for reading :)


End file.
